Beauty and the Beast II
Beauty and the Beast II is a sequel to Disney's Beauty and the Beast, starring the daughter of Belle and Adam, who is born with the curse her father suffered in the original movie. Artwork was uploaded at Facebook on November 5, 2015. Story Belle gives birth to her first child that shocks everyone with its appearance. The baby hardly resembles a human being and has more in common with the past transformation of the king, Adam. While the young parents fear for her future, Belle still grants her the name "Joli" and raises her as if she were a normal child. The rest of the kingdom is asked to treat her the same, though this rarely happens. The fact she has animal-like mannerisms and is larger and stronger than those her age isn't helping, and when she gets to attend her first ball, none of the boys wish to dance with her. These experiences turn Joli into a shut-in, though her parents keep insisting there's nothing wrong with her and she should keep living life like normal. She's tired of their sweet lies and believes their mentality will only ensure a solution to her problems will never be sought after. When an adult, her father reveals to her he used to be a cursed beast and it might be his fault she looks the way she does. Still, it's unclear if it's punishment or a mistake, as the infamous enchantress never reappeared before them to explain. With again no answers or solutions, Joli concludes it might be better to stay out of the spotlights for a while and become a forgotten memory. Belle disagrees with this and says her fate as queen will make this impossible. She wonders if finding true love will help her shed her fur and urges her to attend the next ball. Belle gives her the yellow gown she used to wear herself many years ago and prepares her the best she can. Though nauseous with uncertainty, Joli decides to mingle once again for her optimistic mother. At the ball, she's mostly stared at by bullies, who try to keep their comments silent enough as not to be heard by the castle's staff. In the reflection of the polished floor, Joli takes a second look and realizes how ridiculous she looks, not blaming the smirks. As her parents are still watching her from afar with hopeful eyes, she forces herself through the night, but with little to do. A man then approaches her with questions no other person dared to ask her before concerning her appearance and the reason for it. Joli isn't sure if it qualifies as bullying, but answers regardless. He seems to be entertained by her and returns a short description of himself. His title as a celebrated hunter makes her uncomfortable, but he promises his intentions aren't to hang her on his wall. Joli wants to question it, but the fact he's allowed inside the castle must mean he's a big deal and a trusted guest, so she decides not to doubt his alignment further. Adam and Belle watch the interaction with curiosity, but notice something about the man's appearance. They decide to take a closer look and see he has alot in common with the late Gaston, though his face is slightly off. Still, they're anxious and want to hear him out. Joli feels embarrassed by her parents' intervention right when she started to get familiar with the man, and leaves to get food. He looks disheartened by it too, yet cooperates with the royal couple's cross-examination, masked as civil chatter. When Belle and Adam can only conclude he has no relation with Gaston, for now, he meets up with Joli at the buffet, right when she's stuffing her face. The display earns her a chuckle, one she can't decipher whether it's of ridicule or enjoyment. Because midnight is only a few minutes away, the man leaves with the other guests, but tells her he'd gladly visit again. She isn't sure what to think of him or the remark, but still goes to ask her parents when the next ball will be. While they're happy to see their daughter so carefully eager, the man raises questions and they don't want her to become too fond over someone this quickly. Joli is almost offended and says he's a stranger, though they wonder, and believe the lack of social interaction she suffered could make her glorify any type of interest people show in her. As the man checks off many of the boxes that made the last villain, they ask her to be cautious. A fair amount of time passes and Joli has lost that initial glint of excitement before the next party comes around. The man from last time returns, but the room is also fuller than usual. Adam guesses the news of Joli's existence has left their borders and suspects the man to be the reason. Because all guests are royalty the kingdom is officially in good standing with, he knows he can't deny them entrance, and thus his daughter becomes the spectacle of the evening. Nevertheless, Joli hardly notices the difference from the usual staring and walks around with the same amount of uneasiness. The hunter attempts to turn her frown around by being as casual as possible, which Joli appreciates, though after her parents gave her their polite disapproval of him, feels it's more appropriate to comment he needs to be more respectful towards a princess and hasn't even shared his name. He says it to be Amedee. His offers to dance or bring her drinks are denied and Joli stays purposely distant with all the guests. Amedee expresses confusion to see a woman this dissatisfied to be in a pretty dress at her own party, to which she replies not to be a woman. He opposes that remark and gives her a stereotypical list of female hobbies for her to go through. Because she matches his expectations; and likes to cook and sew, while having no interest in reading and professions that are predominately male, Amedee takes that as confirmation of her womanliness and his own expertise in the gender. Joli notes him on his surprisingly basic view of women, to which he responds all his girlfriends were the same way. His views and the news of his many girlfriends visibly displease her. He asks why she doesn't like being a woman, to which she replies it's the stereotyping that doesn't sit well with her. She excuses herself from the conversation. Joli leaves the room after passing by her parents, saying they were right about the man. Belle and Adam feel a tad disappointed they weren't proven wrong, and know their daughter feels the same way, since her motivation to stay has already gone. Adam mutters they were right thinking she had grown fond of him. They watch Amedee standing by himself carrying expressions of doubt and boredom, whereafter he leaves. Belle is saddened by the ruined evening, but Adam stays hopeful and thinks they should keep forcing company onto their daughter until she's comfortable being around people. Now that she's a fully matured adult and shed her wild tendencies, he's assured she'll fit in like any human being and it's her own uncertainty that's holding her back now. He mentions a nearby town that used to host many forms of entertainment for him when he was a child, and believes a lighter setting will attract better people. Belle is happy to see her husband accept the common folk for their daughter to consider after all the snooty aristocrats and agrees to the plan. A week later, after some hard convincing, Joli leaves the castle grounds and shows herself out in the open for the first time. Her father rattles on about his childhood and the things he used to do in the town they're heading to, while her mother keeps trying to reassure her and pull down the hood she keeps over her head. The residents from said town are seen welcoming in the royal family from afar, setting the tone for what's to come. There are sections on every street with circus acts, food stalls, wood sculptors, and more, with overly eager performers ready to impress the princess. Joli wonders if her parents ordered them to be this cheerful around her and can't quite get in the mood because of it. In an open field she watches a series of archers and hunters skillfully hit their designated targets and the passing geese in the sky. The sounds of their weapons make her nervous, but before she can move on, one of the men steals all the kills and brings down the entire flock in the blink of an eye. He quickly heads over to offer the heap of dead animals as a gift. She recognizes it's Amedee. Surprised to see him again, she asks him if he lives here, but he replies to only be a hired performer. She clumsily compliments his hunting skills, but says not to be interested in his gruesome gift. Amedee says to know, as animal corpses are not very lady-like. By his face she can see it's a continuation of the conversation from back at the ball, but she has no interest in arguing with him again and leaves him standing. A stall with threads and beads then catches her attention. Belle explains the point is to make your own necklace and it's very popular with children, still exciting the adult Joli, until she can't get a single bead in and gives up on it. The family takes a break at one of the bakeries, where Amedee again shows up. Joli nearly gets a heart attack and feels embarrassed in his presence when he catches her once again with cheeks full of food, but he keeps his comments to himself and hands her a necklace instead. She sees it has the same beads she tried to grab earlier. She thanks him for it, but is then shielded by the guards, who advise Amedee not to leisurely approach the royal family. As Joli isn't yet sure if he can be trusted, she doesn't tell them off. The day ends with her admitting she had a decently good time, though in her head wonders if the villagers enjoyed showing off to a beast for hours on end. Adam remarks they're good people who had alot of patience for him; admitting he wasn't the most pleasant child to deal with. Then, their horse carriage loses a wheel and collapses onto the ground. Not thinking much of it, the family exits to make it easier for the soldiers to do the repairs, but a group of wolves appear and seem to have their eyes on Joli. The guards aren't given time to free their hands to help, and they sprint right towards her. Adam and Belle try to smack them down with branches, but the animals won't even give them the time of day and act oddly organized. They mercilessly bite Joli's ankles and try to jump for her throat, forcing her to run off into the woods and abandon her family. The guards are unable to keep up with their speed, and when more wolves start to surround her, Joli is unable to turn back. In the distance she sees people running around and she calls out to them, but the weapons their pull are targeted at her. They shout out commands typical for dogs, to which the wolves respond. Joli discovers she's being hunted. Men on horses then start to pull up next to her and try to shoot her down from up close. Joli shouts at them that she's a human, but isn't listened to. She briefly considers fighting back, but learned from experience that showing off her strength never made anything better, thus keeps dodging the attacks. When the hunters start setting fires as to trap her, she manages to use it against them and makes her escape. After running for an entire day and finding herself lost, she falls unconscious. She wakes up in a large bed in a stranger's cottage, feeling feverish and confused. The walls are cluttered with animal heads, scaring her greatly. Her voice catches the attention of Amedee, the owner of the place. She visibly distrusts him, and after noticing to have been stripped of all her clothes, gives him a high-pitched scolding. He responds unusually bashful and says they needed to be washed, but wasn't sure if she needed replacement because of her fur. To have been reminded of her beastly form upsets Joli and she announces her leave, but Amedee pushes her back down and suggests she should stay. She thinks to have been kidnapped and he wants her skin, so clarifies he lives in a village of hunters and she became a wanted trophy after her existence got confirmed. He asks her not to be afraid of him; wouldn't he have killed her already if that was his plan. Joli nervously replies he might like the challenge of wrestling his prey. Amedee pauses and jokes that to be true. She watches him cook and clean the house, sparking the question why he's doing things he believes is a woman's job. He smirks at the jab, and says to still be an adult with responsibilities any adult should follow. She's surprised he values those kind of life lessons, which in turn surprises him. He asks if she prefers him to match her biases and take over his chores, whereafter she responds with silent coughing. Upon bringing her a cooked drumstick of a familiar-looking goose, she swallows the thing whole right from the plate and sheepishly excuses herself by saying cutlery hurts her hands. He shrugs it off and says it's less dishes for him. Joli feels comfortable around him and this casual setting, but uneasiness strikes upon hearing the barking dogs and voices outside. She asks when she can go home. Amedee guesses it'll take a few days until they stop actively looking for her, but afterwards she should be safe to go under the cover of night. He warns that traversing the land will be more difficult then and she shouldn't leave unprepared. She understands he's asking her not to run off without telling him. The next couple of days, Amedee nurses her back to full health, though the desperate hunters in town can't leave him alone and keep knocking on his door to ask for help catching the beast. Joli is forced to act like a Saint Bernard every time one of them forces himself inside, earning her laughs from Amedee afterwards. These stupid moments connect the two, but he also wins himself points by buying her gifts. Seeing Amedee walk around with roses and jewelry catches the attention of his neighbours, and they ask who the girl is this time. The conversation is loud enough for Joli to hear, so he cuts it short and heads inside the house. She happily takes his gifts like always, but feels disheartened with the reminder Amedee is a womanizer. He picks up on her downer mood, and swears he's not the kind of man she thinks he is. He explains that relationships sometimes just don't work out, but Joli admits not to have a clue, as she lacks that experience. He smiles she is his longest girlfriend till date, to which she swiftly replies not to be his girlfriend at all. Suddenly, the front door is kicked open. Thinking it's the townspeople, he picks up a piece of furniture to throw at them, but then sees the royal guards standing in his living room. His attempt is not taken well and they forcefully restrain him. Joli asks what they're doing, and they tell her they came to save her from Amedee. ... Characters Joli Joli (pronounced: "Sho-lee") is Belle and Adam's daughter. She is 25 years old. Because she was born a beast and nobody can tell her why, she grows up insecure and pessimistic, though allows for her parents to drag her out of her room when persistent enough. Her delayed maturing added to the reason why outsiders show reluctance to interact with her. Joli is an introvert and most comfortable being alone, yet feels lonely and hungers for the confirmation she's human. As a child, she was a slow learner and more animal than human. She walked on all fours, was destructive and unruly, couldn't stand to wear clothes or speak complete sentences until she was 8 years old. Even as an adult, she has trouble with things like reading and holding cutlery, as her fingers can't bend the same way a human's can. Still, she's aware of her flaws and a problem solver. Many of her parents' teachings stuck with her, yet the way Amedee perceives women is something she feels conflicted about. While her mother is living proof they can be more than a pretty face, the fact he sees and treats her like a regular woman flatters her. Still, not until Amedee shows he has self-knowledge and he points her on her own biases is she willing to interact with him again. Joli has a phobia for hunters and weapons, as she fears to get mistaken for an animal one day and "end up a rug". Besides that, most of her animalistic behaviour has been replaced with almost an overcompensating amount of feminine interests. She adores the look of jewelry, make-up, and bombastic dresses, but has to deal with the fact her body isn't made for it. She doesn't mind adjusting these dresses herself and does this often with help of the tools specially made for her by her grandfather. The courage to wear them is absent. Joli is tall, has blue eyes, and is mostly covered with fur the same colour as her mother's hair. She has a deep, but feminine voice. ---- Amedee Amedee (or Amédée) is a talented hunter from a distant town, and a red herring villain. He is 30 years old. He came to see Joli in person, who only existed as a rumor in his community. Despite his dubious job and his liking to her fur coat as a professional, his intrigue for her personality surpasses that of her looks and he immediately becomes fond of her. He's a man with beliefs typical for the time period and shares alot in common with the villain Gaston. He thinks all women desire flowers and children, while all men like beer and should do paid work. Because the people around him match that which he already believes, convincing him that the outliers are the rule is out of the question, nevertheless, there's no evil intent in him and Joli teaches him that it's important to hear someone out before drawing any kind of conclusion. He was a scholar before he changed goals and became a hunter. The character is kinder and more intelligent than Joli and her parents first assumed, and he exists as an example that anyone can have hurtful biases. ---- Belle Belle is the mother of Joli. She feels sad for her daughter's predicament and constantly tries to downplay the situations she enters as an attempt to calm down everyone involved. Though Joli's upbringing was hard and stressful, Belle's efforts turned her into an intelligent young woman, though she regrets failing to unite her with the residents of their kingdom. She and her husband have little trust in the hunter, Amedee. This started the moment they spotted him, since he looks related to the overly masculine Gaston. When they learned of his job as a hunter and see the amount of interest he has in Joli, it feeds their suspicion. When proven wrong, Belle is disappointed in herself to have judged a man before getting to know him. ---- Adam Adam is the father of Joli. He feels responsible for his daughter's appearance and is pained by his own obliviousness on how to help her. He mainly follows Belle's advice and tries to ignore it, but knows from experience that any mirror will remind her of the facts. When Joli has grown into a fully matured adult, he starts to get hopeful again and wants to show her to the outside world as much as possible in order to find her that special someone that'll lift the "curse". Trivia *The name for Beast that got accepted by fans, "Adam", was never revealed by Disney themselves. Beast is officially nameless. Category:Beauty and the Beast Category:Series